The estimated resident population of Victoria at June 2014 was 5.8 million people. In the five years to 2014, Victoria had the largest population growth of all states and territories, with an increase of 469,700 people.

In 2014, there were 4.4 million people living in Greater Melbourne, accounting for 76% of Victoria's population. The population in Greater Melbourne increased by 408,500 between 2009 and 2014, making up 87% of Victoria's total growth. Melbourne - West had the largest and fastest growth of all SA4s in Greater Melbourne, with an increase of 113,500 people (19%) over this period. The rest of Victoria (outside of Greater Melbourne) grew by 61,200 people. Geelong had the largest and fastest growth of all SA4s in the rest of Victoria, with an increase of 21,000 people (8.5%). Other SA4s experiencing large growth were Latrobe - Gippsland (up by 13,500 people) and Ballarat (10,700).

AGE AND SEX DISTRIBUTION

The largest difference between the age distribution of Greater Melbourne and the rest of Victoria in 2014 was the larger proportion of people aged between 20 and 44 years in Greater Melbourne. People within this age group made up 39% of the population in Greater Melbourne compared with 29% in the rest of Victoria. This partly reflects a pattern of young adults migrating out of regional areas to pursue work, education and other opportunities in the capital city. Conversely, 39% of the population in the rest of Victoria were aged 50 years and over, compared with 30% in Greater Melbourne.

AGE AND SEX DISTRIBUTION (%), Victoria - 30 June 2014

MEDIAN AGE

At June 2014, the median age (the age at which half the population is older and half is younger) of Victoria's population was 37.3 years, the same as the median age of the total Australian population. Females in Victoria continued to have a higher median age (38.2 years) than males (36.3), reflecting their longer life expectancy.

In the five years to 2014, the median age in Greater Melbourne increased slightly from 36.0 years to 36.1 years, while in the rest of Victoria, it increased from 40.2 to 41.9 years.

The SA2s with the highest median ages in 2014 were Paynesville (58.4 years), Queenscliff (55.9) and Portarlington (55.5), all coastal areas in regional Victoria. The SA2s with the lowest median ages were Parkville (24.9 years) and Carlton (25.7) which are both adjacent to the University of Melbourne. Clayton, which includes the main Monash University campus, and inner-city Melbourne had the next lowest median ages (both at 27.2 years).

In the five years to 2014, the largest increases in median age were in Moira (up by 4.6 years), Otway (4.4) and Rushworth (4.3), all in regional Victoria, and Kinglake (4.3), Flinders and Taylors Lakes (both 4.2) in Greater Melbourne. The largest decreases were in Burwood (down by 3.6 years) and Cranbourne South (3.0), both in Greater Melbourne.

CHILDREN (UNDER 15 YEARS OF AGE)

At June 2014, there were 1.1 million children under 15 years of age in Victoria, an increase of 74,400 (7.5%) since June 2009. Children comprised 18% of the state's total population in 2014.

Around three quarters of children in Victoria lived in Greater Melbourne in 2014. In the five years to 2014, the number of children in Greater Melbourne increased by 70,400 (9.6%) to reach 806,100 while the number in the rest of Victoria grew by 3,900 (1.5%) to 263,200. Greater Melbourne had a slightly lower proportion of children in its population (18%) than the rest of Victoria (19%) in 2014.

The SA2s with the highest proportion of children were in growth areas in outer Melbourne and regional cities. Taylors Hill, in Melbourne's west, had the highest proportion of children (29%), followed by Point Cook (28%), and South Morang, Cranbourne West, Truganina and Berwick - South (all 27%). In the rest of Victoria, the Bendigo suburbs of Strathfieldsaye and Maiden Gully had the highest proportions of children (both 26%).

Some SA2s, particularly in Greater Melbourne's western growth fringe, had comparatively large increases in the proportion of children in the five years to 2014. The largest increases were in Truganina (proportion up by 4.2%), Laverton (3.4%) and Seddon - Kingsville (3.1%). However, the proportion of children declined in the majority of SA2s in Victoria over this period. The largest decrease was in Lysterfield, down by 4.6%.

WORKING AGE POPULATION (AGED 15-64 YEARS)

There were 3.9 million people aged between 15 and 64 years in Victoria at June 2014, accounting for two thirds of Victoria's population. Between 2009 and 2014, the working age population in Victoria increased by 261,900 people (7.2%).

Over three quarters of the working age population in Victoria lived in Greater Melbourne. In the five years to 2014, the number of people of working age in Greater Melbourne increased by 8.8% to 3.0 million, while in the rest of the state, the number increased by 1.9% to 874,900.

The SA2s with the highest proportions of working age people in Greater Melbourne were inner-city areas. These included Melbourne (94%), Southbank (90%), and Docklands and Carlton (both 88%). This reflects the relatively large numbers of tertiary students and professionals living in these areas.

In the five years to 2014, the largest increases in the proportion of people of working age were in Footscray (proportion up by 3.0%) and Lysterfield (2.6%). The largest decreases were in Macedon (down by 6.9%), Wheelers Hill (5.4%), Longford - Loch Sport (5.2%) and Bundoora - West (5.0%).

At June 2014, there were 865,100 people aged 65 years and over living in Victoria, representing 15% of the population. Of these, 118,300 people (2.0% of the state's total population) were aged 85 years and over. In line with the continuing ageing of the Victorian population, the number of people aged 65 years and over grew by 18% between 2009 and 2014.

In Greater Melbourne, 14% of the population were aged 65 years and over in 2014, compared with 19% in the rest of Victoria.

Most of the SA2s with high proportions of people aged 65 years and over were located in regional Victoria. The coastal SA2s of Paynesville (37%), Queenscliff (35%), and Portarlington and Rosebud - McCrae (both 32%) had the highest.

The largest increases in the proportion of people aged 65 and over in the five years to 2014 were in Paynesville and Macedon (both proportions up by 6.4%), followed by Moira (6.2%) and Flinders (6.1%).

SEX RATIO

In June 2014, there were 97.9 males for every 100 females in Victoria. The sex ratio was slightly lower in Greater Melbourne (97.6) than in the rest of Victoria (99.0).

The SA2s with the highest sex ratios were Rockbank - Mount Cottrell (146.9) and Rosedale (144.8), both of which contain large male prisons. Many SA2s in rural Victoria had high sex ratios, partly reflecting a male-dominated workforce in agriculture. Of these, the highest sex ratios were in Mildura Region (121.7), Seymour Region (117.4) and Rushworth (116.2). Other SA2s with high sex ratios included Docklands (115.1), Footscray (115.0) and Laverton (114.7), all in Greater Melbourne.

Burwood, in Greater Melbourne's east, was the SA2 with the lowest sex ratio (86.6). This was followed by Rosebud - McCrae (87.2), Carlton North - Princes Hill (87.3), Balwyn (87.6), Queenscliff (87.7) and Mornington (87.8).